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Buddhism has commonly been regarded as the sole foreign religion to truly gain access to the hearts and minds of the Chinese people. Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam were likewise spread along the Silk Roads to China, yet these religions did not take root. What culminating factors played a role in the acceptance of Buddhism into Chinese culture? Is it possible that Buddhism should not be regarded as a foreign religion, but as a seed of thought that was nurtured by the missionary monks and the Chinese into a form almost unrecognizable from it's initial origins? Through a survey of primary sources like and existing research on this interesting topic, I seek to pose a brief explanation of the forces that led to the success of Buddhism in China during it's original insemination. My research serves as an introduction and rough sketch of some of the fundamental links that exist in the puzzle of Buddhism and China's complex relationship.

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Apr 11th, 1:30 PM

The Successful Integration of Buddhism with Chinese Culture: a Brief Look at the Forces of Their Amalgamation

Kirkhof Center 2259

Buddhism has commonly been regarded as the sole foreign religion to truly gain access to the hearts and minds of the Chinese people. Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam were likewise spread along the Silk Roads to China, yet these religions did not take root. What culminating factors played a role in the acceptance of Buddhism into Chinese culture? Is it possible that Buddhism should not be regarded as a foreign religion, but as a seed of thought that was nurtured by the missionary monks and the Chinese into a form almost unrecognizable from it's initial origins? Through a survey of primary sources like and existing research on this interesting topic, I seek to pose a brief explanation of the forces that led to the success of Buddhism in China during it's original insemination. My research serves as an introduction and rough sketch of some of the fundamental links that exist in the puzzle of Buddhism and China's complex relationship.